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Survivors of cancer frequently experience persistent and troublesome cognitive changes. Little is known about the role diet and nutrition plays in survivors’ cognition. We explored the feasibility of collecting cross-sectional online data from Australian survivors of breast and colorectal cancer to enable preliminary investigations of the relationships between cognition with fruit and vegetable intake, and the Omega-3 Index (a biomarker of long chain omega 3 fatty acid intake). A total of 76 participants completed online (and postal Omega-3 Index biomarker) data collection (62 breast and 14 colorectal cancer survivors): mean age 57.5 (±10.2) years, mean time since diagnosis 32.6 (±15.6) months. Almost all of the feasibility outcomes were met; however, technical difficulties were reported for online cognitive testing. In hierarchical linear regression models, none of the dietary variables of interest were significant predictors of self-reported or objective cognition. Age, BMI, and length of treatment predicted some of the cognitive outcomes. We demonstrated a viable online/postal data collection method, with participants reporting positive levels of engagement and satisfaction. Fruit, vegetable, and omega-3 intake were not significant predictors of cognition in this sample, however the role of BMI in survivors′ cognitive functioning should be further investigated. Future research could adapt this protocol to longitudinally monitor diet and cognition to assess the impact of diet on subsequent cognitive function, and whether cognitive changes impact dietary habits in survivors of cancer. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

Background There are well established modifiable risk factors for late-life dementia. These risk factors account for over 30% of population attributable dementia risk and accrue over the lifespan. Young adults have the greatest potential to reduce their own risk for dementia. This study aimed to investigate what young Australian adults know about dementia and its risk factors, and further, how they estimated these risks. Methods An online survey promoted through various social media platforms was completed by 604 young Australian adults aged 18–44 years of age. Results Seventy percent of participants had a limited understanding of dementia (identifying cognitive or functional impairment), 25% had a good understanding, with 5% having no understanding. Twenty percent of respondents thought there were no modifiable risk factors for dementia. Less the half of participants agreed with two of the nine established dementia risk factors (hearing loss in midlife and education in early life), with over half of participants agreeing to the remaining seven risk factors. Females consistently judged the risks conferred by the nine established dementia risk factors to be higher than males. Those who were lonely judged the dementia risk conferred by loneliness to be higher than those who were not lonely; and smokers judged the dementia risk conferred by smoking to be less than non-smokers. Conclusion Young adults have the greatest potential to change their dementia risk, and these findings show that there are important gaps in knowledge of dementia and its risk factors in this group.

Research on body image commonly focuses on the negative aspects of the construct, and the majority of findings related to body image in general arise from quantitative methods of investigation. Furthermore, little is known about the experiences lesbian women go through as they come out, and what consequence this has on their body image. In this study we examined the experiences of 12 lesbian women and explored how coming out affected their body image. Data were collected via face-to-face interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. Participants’ ages ranged from 20 to 33 (M=25). The analysis revealed that all participants reported experiencing improved body image after coming out. Other changes related to the presentation of sexual identity in terms of how they dressed, i.e., presenting as either more masculine or feminine.Most participants reported feeling that the sexual and gender minority community was more accepting of different body shapes and sizes compared to the heteronormative society in which they resided. Negative feelings and experiences related to family situations, and occasionally from within themselves.The results are important in understanding how gender and sexual orientation are intertwined to create a distinct experience of body image in lesbian women, and also to illustrate the heterogeneity of body image within subgroups of women. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

Melanoma is the most common cancer among young Australians. Despite school-based programs such as ‘Sun Smart’ leading to increased knowledge among children of the harmful effects of sun exposure, many young adults continue to desire a darker skin tone because of a general perception among their peers that tanned skin is attractive. This ‘tanned-ideal’ may be challenged through exposure to material posted on social media. This study aimed to investigate the impact of two online interventions on knowledge of skin cancer and intentions to engage in sun tanning and protective behaviours, as assessed by survey. In addition, the likelihood that the intervention would be ‘shared’ on social media was explored by interview during an intervention session. Eighteen women aged 18–24 years participated in this pilot, mixed-methods intervention study. Participants completed surveys 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after attending an intervention session in which they viewed a video and completed a face-aging activity, with the order of completion balanced within the sample. Two weeks after the intervention, there was a significant increase in knowledge and intended sun protection behaviours and a significant decrease in intended future tanning hours. There was no effect of intervention order. Interview data indicated that younger participants would share the ageing application with peers because it was fun; older participants reported that they would share the video because it was educational. Factors that encourage sharing on social media include being realistic, instructive or personally meaningful, and short in duration.

This research aims to identify the factors that influence caregivers’ decisions about the aged care providers they select for their elder relatives when caring from a distance and what they value once they have engaged a service. Adult long-distance carers for older relatives living within Australia were purposively sampled and they participated in audio-recorded interviews. A thematic analysis was employed to investigate the data. A sample of 13 participants enabled data saturation with no new major themes identified in the final three interviews. Participants were 50 to 65 years (Mean = 59.8) and mostly (77%) female. Four themes emerged relating to selection of care providers: (1) availability of care, (2) financial arrangements, (3) proximity and location, and (4) reputation of care provider. Five themes detailed valued qualities of care: (1) vigilant monitoring and responsivity, (2) communication with family, (3) flexibility and proactiveness of care, (4) staffing, and (5) access to appropriate and holistic care to maintain wellbeing. Long-distance caregivers face barriers in selecting and managing aged care services from afar within a complex Australian aged care system. They strongly value regular, proactive communication about the wellbeing of their relatives and may be particular beneficiaries of communication and assistive monitoring technologies Refereed/Peer-reviewed

Purpose: To perform a systematic review identifying how dietary factors are related to cognitive function in cancer survivors who are not currently undergoing primary treatment.Methods Using the PRISMA framework, a search was conducted for studies published before February 2019 across multiple databases, identifying 2304 unique articles. Twelve met final inclusion criteria and were evaluated through narrative synthesis.This review was registered with the International Prospective Register Of Systematic Reviews (CRD42018111941). Results: Included studies were heterogeneous in methodology and in dietary and cognitive variables investigated making direct comparisons difficult. Evidence of a relationship between diet and cognition was mixed; the most consistent evidence was identified in relation to a positive relationship between fruit and vegetable intake and cognitive function (both self-reported and objectively tested) in five out of six studies, but was not concordant across all studies. Conclusion: Preliminary evidence exists that a greater fruit and vegetable intake is associated with better cognitive functioning in cancer survivors, as has been reported in healthy populations; however, these data are correlational and include relatively small samples. Most evidence related to breast cancer survivors, with individual studies extending to colorectal and stomach cancer survivors. Experimental trials are needed to identify causal attribution of dietary factors on cognitive function in cancer survivors.Implications for cancer survivors At this time, there is not sufficient evidence to make dietary or nutritional recommendations specifically for improving cognitive function in cancer survivors. This should be considered in light of the general paucity ofresearch on this subject, necessitating further investigations Refereed/Peer-reviewed

Leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and dietary energy intake are two important health behaviours, which at too low or high levels respectively, are associated with overweight and obesity.This study explores associations between subscales of the Job Demand-Control-Support (JDCS)model, LTPA and dietary energy intake. A cross-sectional design sampled current employees (N=433)from a South Australian cohort using a computer-assisted telephone interview and a self-completed food frequency questionnaire. In analyses adjusted for sex, age, and sociodemographic variables,higher levels of skill discretion were associated with increased odds for attaining sufficient physical activity (OR=2.45; 95% CI=1.10–5.47). Higher levels of decision authority were associated with reduced odds (OR=0.43; 95% CI=0.20–0.93) for being in the highest tertile of daily energy intake. Higher scores for coworker support were associated with increased odds (OR=2.20; 95%CI=1.15–4.23) for being in the highest tertile of daily energy intake. These findings support the consideration of the individual JDCS subscales, since this practice may reveal novel associations with health behaviour outcomes, thereby presenting new opportunities to improve employee health and wellbeing. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

Purpose: The tripartite influence model (Thompson et al. 1999) proposes that internalized appearance ideals mediate the relationship between socio-cultural norms endorsing a tanned appearance and sunbathing. This study examined the extent to which socio-cultural norms lead to an idealization of darker skin, which in turn predicts sunbathing. This study also explored whether the relationship between an internalized muscular physique and sunbathing is moderated by sex. Methods: Adult males (N = 124) and females (N = 175) completed an online questionnaire measuring socio-cultural norms endorsing a tanned appearance, internalization of mesomorphic and tanned ideals, and sunbathing. Results: The internalization of a tanned ideal mediated between norms and sunbathing in both sexes, with a greater internalization of a tanned ideal associated with more frequent sunbathing in both sexes. Moderation analysis revealed that increased sunbathing was associated with a greater internalization of a mesomorphic ideal for males but a lesser internalization for females. A positive association was also found between the internalization of mesomorphic and tanned ideals in males. Conclusion: Overall, people who internalize a tanned ideal based on the perceived attitudes of others are more likely to sunbathe. This study extended current literature by suggesting that males internalize a tanned ideal and finding an association between internalized mesomorphic and tanned ideals in males. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

The present study investigated the influence of a weight loss reality TV show on body satisfaction, mood and food consumption. Young Australian women (N = 99) first completed baseline measures of state body satisfaction and mood. They were then randomly allocated to either a weight loss or a home renovation programme and were provided with snack foods during viewing. Post-measures included state body satisfaction, state mood and trait dietary restraint and snack food consumption. BMI moderated the relationship between condition and body satisfaction and mood. Larger women experienced less body satisfaction and less positive mood in response to the weight loss programme. Dietary restraint moderated the relationship between condition and food consumption. A greater percentage of women with lower dietary restraint ate in the control condition; whilst a greater percentage of women with higher dietary restraint ate food whilst watching the weight loss programme. These findings highlight the potential negative impact of weight-focused reality TV on mood, body satisfaction and snack food consumption among some women. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

Objective: Previous research has indicated that greater exposure to traditional media (i.e. television, film, and print) predicted skin cancer risk factors in adolescents; however, the relationship between social media usage and these outcomes remains unexplored. We examined whether social networking site (SNS) usage, and the particular manner of this use, was associated with skin tone dissatisfaction, sun exposure and sun protection among Australian adolescents. We also explored sex differences in SNS usage related to tanning. Method: A total of 1856 South Australian secondary school students completed the Australian School Students Alcohol and Drug 2014 survey. SNS usage related to tanning comprised posting pictures, posting text, viewing pictures, viewing text and liking or sharing posts. Results: Adolescents spent 214.56 minutes, on average, per day using SNSs. Behaviours related to tanning that involved pictures (i.e. viewing pictures, posting pictures, and liking or sharing content) were significantly associated with more skin tone dissatisfaction, more sun exposure and less sun protection. Females performed all SNS-linked behaviours more frequently than did males, with the exception of posting text. Conclusion: Australian adolescents spend a considerable amount of time using SNSs, and their behaviours related to tanning on these SNSs are significantly associated with skin cancer risk factors. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

Objective: To investigate the effects of disposition (locus of control, optimism, and depression) on recollections of cognitive functioning following cancer treatment. Methods: Participants were survivors of colorectal cancer (n = 88) and their spouses (n = 40). Survivors retrospectively rated their cognitive functioning and depression, as experienced following treatment and currently rated their dispositions for optimism and locus of control. Survivors' spouses likewise provided their recollections of survivors' cognitive functioning and depression at time following treatment. Results: Correlations between survivors' and spouses' ratings for cognitive functioning were statistically significant but not for depression. Results supported validity of survivors' longer term retrospective reports. Although internal locus of control correlated positively with retrospectively self-reported cognitive functioning, and negatively with retrospectively self-reported depression, moderated hierarchical multiple regression found independent contribution of internal locus of control was limited to predicting quality of life; and that, among variables tested, depression correlated strongest with cognitive functioning. Conclusions: Neither internal locus of control nor optimism in colorectal cancer survivors influences correlation between cognition and depression. Health care providers should note individual differences in responses to treatment and be alert to the impact of depression on perceived everyday functioning. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

Consuming an unhealthy level of alcohol is a significant problem for some young women. Potential determinants of excess consumption include perceptions of usual consumption among peers-perceptions of what is 'normal.' The present study examined whether perceptions of social normative endorsement of drinking, operationalized by measures of perceived alcohol consumption of close friends (proximal norms), the consumption of the 'average student' (distal norms), and the extent of alcohol-related content posted by peers on Facebook were related to alcohol-related attitudes and self-reported consumption. Female university students ( n=129; Mage=21.48 years, SD=3.00) completed an online questionnaire assessing Facebook use, perceived alcohol-related norms, and self-reported alcohol attitudes and consumption. Perceptions of the consumption of the average female student were a negative predictor of attitudes. Positive alcohol attitudes, extent of own alcohol-related photographic posts on Facebook, average female student alcohol consumption, and report of male close friend consumption predicted self-report of own alcohol consumption. Interestingly, female close friend norms failed to predict consumption, whereas male close friend norms predicted consumption but not attitudes, suggesting the possibility of separate cognitive pathways for alcohol-related attitudes and behavior. This study builds on existing research by casting new light on predictors of alcohol-related attitudes, as well as describing the potential role of social networking sites such as Facebook in the formation of social norms and the modulation of drinking behavior.

Australia has a significant proportion of residents of Asian heritage. Although the incidence of skin cancer is lower in those of Asian heritage than Caucasians, their prognosis is often worse. Sociocultural variables are central to the tanning behaviours of individuals from Western cultures. We examined the role of sociocultural variables in the tanning behaviours (outdoor tanning, indoor/solarium and fake tan use) among Asian Australians. A sample of 399 young adults identifying either as a person of Asian heritage or as Asian Australian participated in an online survey. Our results suggest that Asian Australians are at risk of skin cancer; over 35 % of the sample reported engaging in outdoor tanning and over 10 % in solarium tanning. After controlling for demographic factors and skin cancer knowledge, preferring a darker skin tone and being acculturated to Australia were significantly associated with tanning behaviour. Participants’ low levels of skin cancer knowledge are of concern, and possibilities for improving knowledge levels in this group are considered. Further, we recommended that future research studies investigate sociocultural and appearance-related beliefs associated with tanning behaviours in this population, in order to determine best avenues for intervention. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

Background: Common disease risk clusters in families due to shared genetics, exposure to environmental risk factors, and because many health behaviours are established and maintained in family environments. This randomised controlled trial will test whether the provision of a family health history (FHH) risk assessment tool increases intentions and engagement in health behaviors. Message distribution and collective behavior change within family networks will be mapped using social network analysis. The relative intervention impact will be compared between families from different ethnic backgrounds. Methods: One hundred and fifty mothers (50 Anglo-Australian, 50 Italian-Australian, 50 Vietnamese-Australian) will be recruited, with four or more other family members across three generations, including a child (aged 10-18 years). Each family is randomly assigned to intervention or control. At baseline and 6-month follow-up, all participants complete surveys to assess dietary and physical activity intentions and behaviors, attitudes towards food, and perceived disease risk. Intervention families receive a visual pedigree detailing their FHH of diabetes, heart disease, breast and bowel cancer, a health education workbook to ascertain members' disease risk (i.e. average or above average risk), and screening and primary prevention recommendations. After completion of follow-up assessments, controls will receive their pedigree and workbook. The primary hypothesis is that attitudes and lifestyle behaviors will improve more within families exposed to FHH feedback, although the extent of this improvement may vary between families from different ethnic backgrounds. Additionally, the extent of improvement in the treatment group will be moderated by the level of family disease risk, with above-average risk leading to greater improvement. A secondary aim will explore different family members' roles in message distribution and collective responses to risk using social network approaches and to compare network functioning between families with different ethnic backgrounds. Discussion: Results will guide future health promotion programs aimed at improving lifestyle factors. This research will assess whether FHH can motivate families to adopt family-level strategies to support health promoting behaviors. Secondary analyses aim to identify change agents within the family who are particularly effective in shifting normative behaviors. Trial registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12613001033730. Retrospectively registered: 17 September, 2013. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

Objective: The authors replicated and expanded on Fabiano et al.’s meta-analysis of behavioral treatments for ADHD, systematically comparing the efficacy of 7 nonpharmacological interventions. Method: A total of 14 controlled treatment studies conducted post-1994—evaluating behavior modification, neurofeedback therapy, multimodal psychosocial treatment, school-based programs, working memory training, parent training, and self-monitoring—were identified,primarily by searching electronic English-language databases. The results were meta-analyzed: mean-weighted effect sizes for the treatment outcomes of 625 participants (382 treatment, 243 controls) were calculated, and moderator analysesexamined contributions of gender, ADHD subtype, and treatment “dosage” to outcome. Results: Behavior modification and neurofeedback treatments were most supported by this evidence. Interventions were generally more efficacious for girls, and least efficacious for the “combined” ADHD subtype. The authors found no dose or age effects. Conclusion: Based on the small, published literature, this study supports some nonpharmacological interventions for ADHD, and indicates directions for more evaluation research into psychological treatments. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

The present study quantitatively explored the effects of mothers' perceived time pressure, as well as meal-related variables including mothers' convenience orientation and meal preparation confidence, on the healthiness of evening meals served to school-aged children (5-18 years old) over a 7-day period. A sample of 120 employed mothers, who identified themselves as the chief meal-preparers in their households, completed a brief, self-report, meal-related questionnaire. Results revealed that mothers' perceived time pressure did not significantly predict meal healthiness. Mothers' confidence in their ability to prepare a healthy meal was the only unique, significant predictor of a healthy evening meal. Mothers who were more confident in their ability to prepare a healthy meal served healthier evening meals than those who were less confident. In addition, mothers' perceived time pressure and convenience orientation were negatively related to healthy meal preparation confidence. Results suggest that mothers' perceived time pressure and convenience orientation, may indirectly compromise meal healthiness, by decreasing mothers' meal preparation confidence. Practical and theoretical implications of the study's findings are discussed.

Introduction The Job Demand-Control-Support (JDCS) model is commonly used to investigate associations between psychosocial work factors and employee health, yet research considering obesity using the JDCS model remains inconclusive. Objective This study investigates which parts of the JDCS model are associated with measures of obesity and provides a comparison between waist circumference (higher values imply central obesity) and body mass index (BMI, higher values imply overall obesity). Methods Contrary to common practice, in this study the JDCS components are not reduced into composite or global scores. In light of emerging evidence that the two components of job control (skill discretion and decision authority) could have differential associations with related health outcomes, components of the JDCS model were analysed at the subscale level. A cross-sectional design with a South Australian cohort ( N = 450) combined computer-assisted telephone interview data and clinic-measured height, weight and waist circumference. Results After controlling for sex, age, household income, work hours and job nature (blue vs. white-collar), the two components of job control were the only parts of the JDCS model to hold significant associations with measures of obesity. Notably, the associations between skill discretion and waist circumference ( b = −.502, p = .001), and skill discretion and BMI ( b = −.163, p = .005) were negative. Conversely, the association between decision authority and waist circumference ( b = .282, p = .022) was positive. Conclusion These findings are significant since skill discretion and decision authority are typically combined into a composite measure of job control or decision latitude. Our findings suggest skill discretion and decision authority should be treated separately since combining these theoretically distinct components may conceal their differential associations with measures of obesity, masking their individual importance. Psychosocial work factors displayed stronger associations and explained greater variance in waist circumference compared with BMI, and possible reasons for this are discussed.

This item is under embargo for a period of 12 months from the date of publication, in accordance with the publisher's policy. The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10552-014-0377-3., Purpose. The aim of this paper was to review published research that analyzed causal attributions for breast cancer among women previously diagnosed with breast cancer. These attributions were compared with risk factors identified by published scientific evidence in order to determine the level of agreement between cancer survivors’ attributions and expert opinion. Methods. A comprehensive search for articles, published between 1982 and 2012, reporting studies on causal attributions for breast cancer among patients and survivors was undertaken. Of 5,135 potentially relevant articles, 22 studies met the inclusion criteria. Two additional articles were sourced from reference lists of included studies. Results. Results indicated a consistent belief among survivors that their own breast cancer could be attributed to family history, environmental factors, stress, fate or chance. Lifestyle factors were less frequently identified, despite expert health information highlighting the importance of these factors in controlling and modifying cancer risk. This review demonstrated that misperceptions about the contribution of modifiable lifestyle factors to the risk of breast cancer have remained largely unchanged over the past 30 years. Conclusions. The findings of this review indicate that beliefs about the causes of breast cancer among affected women are not always consistent with the judgment of experts. Breast cancer survivors did not regularly identify causal factors supported by expert consensus such as age, physical inactivity, breast density, alcohol consumption and reproductive history. Further research examining psychological predictors of attributions and the impact of cancer prevention messages on adjustment and well-being of cancer survivors is warranted.

Increasing public knowledge remains one of the key aims of skin cancer awareness campaigns, yet diagnosis rates continue to rise. It is essential we measure skin cancer knowledge adequately so as to determine the nature of its relationship to sunrelated behaviors. This study investigated the psychometric properties of a new measure of skin cancer knowledge, the Skin Cancer and Sun Knowledge (SCSK) scale. A total of 514 Western young adults (females n = 320, males n = 194) aged 18 to 26 years completed measures of skin type, skin cancer knowledge, tanning behavior, sun exposure, and sun protection. Two-week test-retest of the SCSK was conducted with 52 participants. Internal reliability of the SCSK scale was acceptable (KR-20 = .69), test-retest reliability was high (r = .83, n = 52), and acceptable levels of face, content, and incremental validity were demonstrated. Skin cancer knowledge (as measured by SCSK) correlated with sun protection, sun exposure, and tanning behaviors in the female sample, but not in the males. Skin cancer knowledge appears to be more relevant to the behavior of young women than that of young males. We recommend that future research establish the validity of the SCSK across a range of participant groups. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the adoption of sun protection and sun exposure behaviors, the extent to which these behaviors group together, and the relationship between skin tone dissatisfaction and sun-related behaviors in South Australian adolescents (aged 12–17). Methods: A total of 2,875 secondary school students (1,461 male and 1,414 female) completed a questionnaire including questions about sun protection and sun exposure behaviors and skin tone dissatisfaction. Results: Regular adoption of sun protection behaviors was low and ranged from 20 % (wearing protective clothing) to 44 %(sunscreen use). A principal components analysis identified four subgroups of sun-related behaviors: sun protection, appearance enhancement, sun avoidance, and sun exposure.Females had significantly higher skin tone dissatisfaction than males. Skin tone dissatisfaction was associated with decreased sun protection and avoidance and increased appearance enhancement and sun exposure in both males and females. Conclusions Skin tone dissatisfaction plays an important role in Australian adolescents’ sun-related behavior. Appearance based interventions may be effective in reducing skin cancer risk through reduced sun exposure. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

Measures of beliefs and attitudes towards food need to be valid, and easy to use and interpret. The present study aimed to establish the validity and reliability of a short-form of the Food-Life Questionnaire (FLQ). Participants (247 females; 118 males), recruited in South Australia, completed a questionnaire in 2012 incorporating the original FLQ, a revised short form (FLQ-SF), and measures of food choice and consumption. Validity (construct, criterion-related, and incremental) and reliability (internal consistency and short-form) were assessed. Factor analysis established that short-form items loaded onto five factors consistent with the original FLQ and explained 60% of variance. Moderate correlations were observed between the FLQ-SF and a measure of food choices (r = .32–.64), and the FLQ-SF predicted unhealthy food consumption over and above the full FLQ demonstrating criterion-related and incremental validity respectively. The final FLQ-SF included 21 items and had a Cronbach’s alpha of .75. Short-form reliability was established with correlations between corresponding subscales of the FLQ and FLQ-SF ranging fromr = .64–.84. Overall, the FLQ-SF is brief, psychometrically robust, and easy to administer. It should be considered an important tool in research informing public policies and programs that aim to improve foodchoices. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

Serving size is a modifiable determinant of energy consumption, and an important factor to address in the prevention and treatment of obesity. The present study tested an hypothesised negative association between individuals’ everyday mindfulness and self-reported serving size of energy dense foods. The mediating role of mindful eating was also explored. A community sample of 171 South Australian adults completed self-report measures of everyday mindfulness and mindful eating. The dependent measure was participants’ self-reported average serving size of energy dense foods consumed in the preceding week. Participants who reported higher levels of everyday mindfulness were more mindful eaters (r = 0.41, p < 0.05) and reported smaller serving size estimates of energy dense foods (r = −.25, p < 0.05). Mindful eating fully mediated the negative association between everyday mindfulness and serving size. The domains of mindful eating most relevant to serving size included emotional and disinhibited eating. Results suggest that mindful eating may have a greater influence on serving size than daily mindfulness. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

The present study examined the resemblance between daughters’ and mothers’ intake of energy-dense food (EDF) and vegetables as perceived by daughters and the potential moderating influence of relationship closeness. One-hundred and twelve female first-year psychology students (aged 17–25 years) completed an online measure incorporating questions on demographic information, food frequency, eating style, and mother–daughter closeness. The EDF and vegetable consumption of daughters and their perception of their mothers’ consumption were significantly related. Daughters who ate more EDF perceived that their mothers consumed more EDF and vegetables overall and had lower levels of restrained eating.Both mothers’ consumption of vegetables (as perceived by daughters) and the number of meals consumed within the family home had a strong influence on daughters’ vegetable intake. Closeness of the mother–daughter relationship did not moderate the relationship between the EDF or vegetable intake of mothers and daughters. Overall, these findings are consistent with the contention that mothers mayhave a significant influence on the EDF consumption and vegetable intake of their young adult daughters.The mechanism of this influence requires further investigation. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

We investigated the relationship between the morphology of the corpus callosum (CC) and IQ in a healthy sample of individuals in their late teens and early twenties. The relationship between the area of the CC, measured at the midline, and IQ showed regional differences. We observed that a higher estimated performance IQ was associated with smaller area in the posterior regions of the CC, a finding that differs from a positive association previously observed in a somewhat older adult sample. In contrast, higher estimated verbal IQ was associated with decreased fractional anisotropy of the genu, an anterior portion of the CC. Age effects were also observed such that older age was associated with larger CC area. Our results suggest that CC morphology is related to cognitive performance, which may have implications for clinical populations in whom CC morphology is atypical. usc Refereed/Peer-reviewed

This study examined the potential mediating roles of mindfulness and body awareness in the relationship between exercise and eating behavior. Female exercisers (N = 159) recruited from fitness centers, yoga centers, and the community completed a questionnaire incorporating measures of exercise behavior, body awareness, trait mindfulness, mindful eating, dietary intake, and disordered eating symptoms. Participation in yoga was associated with significantly lower disordered eating (mediated by body awareness), whereas the amount of time spent participating in cardio-based exercise was associated with greater eating disturbance. The relationships between amount of exercise and actual food intake were not mediated by trait mindfulness or body awareness. The differential findings for dietary intake and disordered eating indicate that the body awareness cultivated in different forms of exercise may be more beneficial for clinical populations or those at risk for eating disorders than for modifying actual dietary intake in the general population.